Battle for the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

A tribe of human (well, semi-human) mutants and warlike gorillas make life miserable for the peaceful ape tribe. The story (actually a “prequel” to the series proper) is told primarily in flashback with the opening and closing sequences taking place in the year 2670 A.D, where an old orangutan is telling young chimps the story of ape history, beginning with Cornelius and Zera “descending upon Earth from Earth's own future to bring a savior, Caesar.” This was the final film in the five-movie ape saga, and a good thing – the series was getting really tired by 1973 – but a regrettable TV show (and still later a Saturday morning cartoon series!) was still waiting in the wings. It's pretty amazing to see Paul Williams and Claude Akins in simian makeup!

1973 (G) 96m/C Roddy McDowall, Lew Ayres, John Huston, Paul Williams, Claude Akins, Severn Darden, Natalie Trundy; D: J. Lee Thompson; W: John W. Corrington, Joyce H. Corrington. VHS, Beta FOX